The Yankees are planning on giving infielder Ryan McMahon reps at shortstop during spring training to see if he can possibly be a backup option if needed this season, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Wednesday.
McMahon has spent nine seasons in the league and has made two career appearances at shortstop totaling 3.0 innings, but he had zero defensive chances in those games. The 31-year-old's primary position is third base where he's played 750 games. He played exclusively third base (54 games) for New York after being traded from the Colorado Rockies at last year's deadline.
In addition to the emergency shortstop appearances which happened in 2020, McMahon has experience moving around the infield, also playing second base (244 games) and first base (70) in his career. His last time playing second came in 2023 before he made the permanent switch to third base the following season.
Prior to that, McMahon played at least some second base in every season since his debut and even spent the majority of his defensive innings at second in 2019. McMahon's time at first base was more sporadic and mostly happened between 2017-2020.
If the experiment of McMahon at shortstop goes well during camp, he will join Anthony Volpe, Jose Caballero, Oswaldo Cabrera, Amed Rosario and Max Schuemann on the current depth chart.
Volpe has been the starting shortstop since his debut in 2023, but he is expected to miss the start of the season while he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Injury notwithstanding, Volpe's grasp on the starting job is also in question this season after he's failed to continue his development at the plate through three seasons. Meanwhile, after winning a Gold Glove his rookie season, Volpe's defense also took a big hit in 2025.
Chicago is finally thawing out after an interminable winter that saw a brutally cold January transition straight to a just as frigid February. While Chicago shows signs of emerging from its long winter slumber pitchers and catchers have already reported to Arizona. There will be Spring Training baseball this week when the Cubs host the White Sox at Sloan Park in Mesa on Friday afternoon.
There’s a familiar cadence to these days as baseball gets every closer. The Cubs’ promotional item schedule dropped yesterday with a number of interesting bobbleheads and alternate jerseys that are sure to fire up fans. We’re getting reports of players in the best shape of their life hitting bombs in batting practice. And the Cubs social media hashtag and marketing slogan for 2026 was unveiled: #This
The Cubs have used a lot of different social media hashtags over the years. You can see all of them for the last decade or so courtesy of Six Point Sports below:
It wasn’t just fans from other teams, however. You may remember a similar dynamic emerging pretty quickly during the #ThatsCub run in 2017. Cubs Insider recognized this dynamic right away:
When thinking about who will be a part of the New York Rangers’ core in the future, Noah Laba is one of the first players to come to mind.
Laba’s emergence with the Rangers came as a surprise. He entered training camp having just played in 11 American Hockey League games after two years at Colorado College, and given his fourth-round draft status, he wasn't highly touted or necessarily on anyone’s radar heading into September.
From the start of training camp and into the preseason, Laba stole the show, standing out amongst the rest of the pack, which made it impossible for Mike Sullivan to deny him an NHL roster spot.
Not only did the 22-year-old forward secure an opening-night spot in the lineup, but he’s carved out a permanent role with the Rangers as the team’s third-line center, playing in all sorts of situations, including on both the power play and penalty kill.
In 54 games this season, Laba has recorded six goals, 10 assists, and 16 points, while averaging 13:18 minutes. Laba’s stats don’t tell the full story of his impact..
He provides the team with a combination of speed, physicality and reliability that is rare for a rookie.
Making a quick jump from the NCAA to the NHL, Laba has been forced to adapt to the professional game on the fly.
“I think just learning each and every day more and more, and trying to become a better player, and become more of an impact for this team,” Laba said. “It's my focus, it's been my focus, and it'll continue to be…
“I think it takes a certain level of discipline and maturity to play at this level, so I definitely grew there, and as well as how to be a pro, and just learning from the guys here who've done it a long time.”
Of course, the Rangers are not in an ideal spot as a team despite the emergence of Laba.
The Blueshirts are currently sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference and are heading in the direction of a “retool”, which was outlined in Chris Drury’s letter to fans issued on Jan. 16.
On top of learning about the pace of NHL play, Laba has also learned a lot about the business side of hockey, watching the Blueshirts trade veteran players the likes of Artemi Panarin and Carson Soucy.
“I think I've always kind of known, and when you're kind of experiencing it, it’s a little different, it becomes more of a reality,” Laba said of the business side of the NHL “It’s something that everybody's fully aware of, and you just kind of continue to focus on what you can control.”
With Drury emphasizing the Rangers’ desire to get younger in his letter moving forward, it presents an opportunity for Laba to truly establish himself as one of the franchise's cornerstone pieces.
Laba wants to be part of what the Rangers are attempting to build for the future, with the intention of staying in New York for years to come.
“I think anytime you’re given an opportunity, you try to do the best you can with it, and that’s my goal,” Laba said. “I want to be here for a long time and continue to be a key player here. It takes a lot of work on my end, and I’m going to continue to try to work towards that.”
The Boston Red Sox infield will look much different in 2026.
Veteran third baseman Alex Bregman was a one-and-done in Boston as he left for the Chicago Cubs in free agency. He’ll likely be replaced at the hot corner by either Marcelo Mayer or newcomer Caleb Durbin.
First baseman Willson Contreras and utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa have also entered the equation. The Red Sox traded for Contreras to address their need for a right-handed bat, and later signed Kiner-Falefa as a versatile infield depth option.
Boston will need its infield defense to improve next season, because the revamped starting rotation includes multiple pitchers who depend on getting ground-ball outs. Contreras and Kiner-Falefa should help in that department.
Here’s a closer look at the Red Sox’ infield situation for 2026:
As a result, Contreras will be counted on to replace Bregman’s offensive production. It’s a tall task, but one that the 33-year-old is capable of completing.
Contreras had two more homers and 18 more RBI than Bregman last season, albeit in 21 more games. His OPS (.791) wasn’t much lower than Bregman’s (.821).
The big difference between the two is their strikeout rates. Contreras struck out 25.2 percent of the time last season, while Bregman K’d in only 14.1 percent of his plate appearances. Bregman’s bat-to-ball skills are far superior.
Defensively, Contreras should be a significant upgrade over the options Boston has had in recent seasons. He ranked fourth among all first basemen last season with six Outs Above Average.
The Red Sox need Trevor Story to stay healthy again in 2026.
In 2025, Story bounced back from another injury-plagued campaign with his best Red Sox season yet. The 33-year-old played in 157 games — tying a career-high — and led the club in hits (161), runs scored (91), homers (25), RBI (96), and stolen bases (31).
He’ll be leaned on heavily again in 2026. By letting Bregman walk in free agency, Boston put pressure on Contreras and Story to deliver as the team’s two biggest right-handed bats. It’ll be a massive blow to the lineup if Story struggles to stay healthy.
It’ll be interesting to see whether the Red Sox move Story to second base at some point in 2026. Story’s defense was well below average last season, and there’s little doubt that former top prospect Marcelo Mayer would be an upgrade at the position.
Marcelo Mayer struggled mightily against left-handed pitching during his 2025 rookie season.
Mayer’s much-anticipated rookie season ended prematurely as he underwent wrist surgery in August. It marked the third consecutive year that the former top Red Sox prospect suffered a season-ending injury.
Health and struggles against left-handed pitching are the top two concerns for Mayer heading into the 2026 campaign. The 23-year-old went 4-for-26 (.154) with a .416 OPS and 10 strikeouts against LHP.
Mayer’s issues against southpaws persisted throughout his minor-league career, so it’s no surprise that they continued in the majors. But as a former No. 4 overall pick who is believed to have an All-Star ceiling, he’ll be expected to take a noticeable step forward next season.
Where Mayer excelled as a rookie was defensively at second and third base. His above-average glove will be a huge plus for a Red Sox club that needs more consistency out of its infield defense, especially with a pitching staff that will induce a ton of ground balls.
Caleb Durbin finished third in the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year race.
In need of another starting infielder after losing Bregman, the Red Sox acquired Durbin in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The soon-to-be 26-year-old spent most of his time at third base for Milwaukee last season, but he could play second for Boston with Mayer at the hot corner.
Durbin finished third in the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year voting after amassing a 2.8 WAR in 136 games. He was a league-average hitter, though he provided value with his advanced bat-to-ball skills. He boasted an elite strikeout rate of 9.9 percent, but he ranked near the bottom of the league in hard-hit percentage (26.9) and average exit velocity (85.2).
Boston’s lineup features several players who strike out a ton, so Durbin’s plate discipline will be a breath of fresh air. His defensive versatility will also be useful this upcoming season.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa has played every position except first base in his eight-year MLB career.
The Red Sox signed Kiner-Falefa to a one-year, $6 million deal in free agency. The 30-year-old is a glove-first utility player who has played every position except first base in his eight-year MLB career.
With Boston, Kiner-Falefa will be leaned on as a versatile defender off the bench. He won’t be expected to do anything special at the plate as he has always been a below-average hitter.
Kiner-Falefa has earned a reputation as a clubhouse leader. Perhaps he’ll help fill the leadership void left by the departures of veterans Bregman and Rob Refsnyder.
Romy Gonzalez could begin the 2026 season on the injured list.
Gonzalez has played a key role for the Red Sox as a utility infielder who mashes left-handed pitching. He’s expected to reprise that role in 2026, though he may not be ready for Opening Day due to a shoulder injury he suffered at the end of the 2025 season. Manager Alex Cora recently announced that Gonzalez is currently shut down from all baseball activities except for playing catch.
If and when Gonzalez returns to the lineup, Cora will continue to lean on him against lefties. We could see a Mayer/Gonzalez platoon at second base if Mayer’s woes against LHP persist.
Nick Sogard has proven to be a solid utility man for Boston over the last two seasons.
Sogard has been a solid utility player for the Red Sox over the last two years, and he could have a bigger role in 2026 if Gonzalez misses time. He doesn’t offer much upside at the plate, but he is capable of playing every infield spot and also made a few appearances in right field last year.
Triston Casas suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in May 2025.
It won’t be an easy road back to Boston for Casas, whose 2025 season ended in May after he suffered a ruptured patellar tendon. Even if he’s fully healthy, he’ll likely be eased back into action with a minor-league stint before the Red Sox consider calling him back up to the big-league roster.
The question is, where does Casas fit on this year’s Red Sox club? Contreras is expected to be the everyday first baseman, and the team already has multiple DHs. Casas doesn’t currently have a clear path to consistent playing time, but Boston will have to find some way to fit him into the puzzle if he shows the power that once helped make him the top prospect in the organization.
Catchers – Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong
John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Carlos Narvaez was a pleasant surprise in his first season with the Red Sox.
The Red Sox will roll with the same catching tandem in 2026: Narvaez as the primary backstop and Wong as the No. 2.
Narvaez far exceeded expectations last year in his first season with Boston. The 27-year-old was among MLB’s best defensive catchers, ranking near the top of the league in caught stealing above average, blocks above average, pop time, and framing. He was also a pleasant surprise at the plate, belting 15 homers and amassing a solid .726 OPS in 118 games.
Wong quickly lost his starting job to Narvaez in what was an abysmal season for the 29-year-old. It took him until June 23 to earn his first RBI of the year, and he also had his worst season yet as a defensive backstop. He’ll look to bounce back and take pressure off Narvaez, who was clearly affected by his heavy workload down the stretch in 2025.
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- No matter what comes of Slovakia at these 2026 Winter Olympic men's hockey league games, St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery knows he has a player there that could be galvanized by his play.
Dalibor Dvorsky, a first-round pick (No. 10) in the 2023 NHL Draft, had a goal and an assist for the Slovaks, who continue to defy the odds and reached Friday's semifinal with a 6-2 thumping of Germany in quarterfinal play at Santagiulia IHO Arena in Milan, Italy on Wednesday.
The center now is up to six points (three goals, three assists) in four games for Slovakia, which awaits its opponent pending the result of USA-Sweden's game on Wednesday.
"It can catapult his confidence," Montgomery said of Dvorsky. "To do this on the world stage in the Olympics, it's one of the biggest events you can ever do it. It's like seeing a player do it not only in the NHL playoffs but also the American (Hockey) League. It gives you the confidence that you know how to stay in the moment, how to execute in the moment, and how to come through in big moments. And when you're a gifted player like Dvorsky is, this gives you the confidence that you can do it. That's a big mental hurdle to achieve."
Dvorsky was a plus-1 with three shots on goal in 14:03 of ice time in the game Wednesday.
* Finland 3, Switzerland 2, OT -- It was a tough ending for Pius Suter and the Swiss players in their quarterfinal matchup when they led 2-0 late in the third period before succumbing late, ultimately losing when Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado Avalanche) won it in overtime for the Finns.
Suter had an assist on a Nino Niederreiter (Winnipeg Jets) goal that gave Switzerland a 2-0 lead in the first period but couldn't hold it.
Suter, who finished the tournament with two goals and an assist in four games, played 15:31 and was a minus-2 in the game.
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As the Detroit Red Wings return to practice with the NHL schedule set to resume in just over a week, they’re expecting to welcome back one of their most important pieces on the blue line.
Defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who hasn’t played since Jan. 21 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, is expected to return when Detroit faces the Ottawa Senators on the road on Feb. 26.
Detroit’s top defensive pairing of Edvinsson and Moritz Seider has been among the NHL’s best, and the Detroit Red Wings clearly missed the towering Swede during their stretch of games leading into the Olympic break, when they earned just six of a possible 14 points.
Simon Edvinsson couldn't even STAND after taking a 86MPH one-timer off the knee and he STILL managed to block another shot with his stick 🤯💪 pic.twitter.com/KatDe4o51b
"It sucked, it was probably the worst feeling that you have to sit there and feel like you can make a difference, but can't do anything when you're sitting," he said.
"It sucked, for sure."
While Edvinsson was able to play the remainder of the game against the Maple Leafs after aggravating his lingering injury during the first period, he knew the next day that something would need to be done to fix the problem.
“It was lingering for a while, and in the last game, I felt something even more, and that was like the last drop that I needed to really do the surgery,” Edvinsson continued. “I thought I could go the whole season without doing it, but when I felt that and couldn't really put weight on my knee, it happened in the first period in the Toronto game, and it was the adrenaline that made me play the whole game.
"The next day, it was just a no-go," he said. "I’m glad that we got the surgery timed so quick, the recovery and everything have been great.”
Playing in his second full NHL season, Edvinsson has tallied six goals with 11 assists while averaging 22:34 of ice time per game.
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 07: Tommy Nance #45 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during Game Three of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tommy Nancy is a 34-year-old (35 in March), right-handed reliever, from Long Beach, California. He was undrafted (is that a word?), and signed as an amateur free agent in 2016 by the Cubs, after playing in an independent league in 2015.
He had a rather slow climb up the minors. When you are undrafted, you have to prove yourself every step of the way. He missed the 2017 season with a shoulder nerve injury, and then the 2020 season because COVID-19 led to its cancellation.
Tommy made it to the majors in 2021, pitching in 27 games and posting a 7.22 ERA. Before the 2022 season, he was taken by the Marlins off waivers. He pitched in 35 games for them with a 4.33 ERA. From there, he went to the Padres as a free agent and then, in August of 2024, the Jays traded (bought?) Nance for cash.
He is out of options.
Tommy pitched in 20 games for us in 2024, with a 4.09 ERA. At the start of the 2025 season, the Jays DFAed him, but he stayed in the organization.
Then, in late July, Nance was called up again and stayed up with the team the rest of the way. He ended up pitching in 30 games, in half the season, with a 1.99 ERA. Batters hit .214/.262/.231 against him, with 5 holds. He moved up to pitch in higher-leverage spots as the season went on. I don’t know if there was a pitching coach that unlocked something, or it was just a run of good pitching, but he was pretty amazing.
Unfortunately, he had a rough couple of outings in the ALDS against the Yankees.
He threw three pitches:
A slider, 43.0% of the time.
A curve, 29.2% of the time.
A Sinker, 27.8% of the time, 94.5 mph.
Nance got a lot of ground balls, 52.9% ground ball rate, which, considering our infield defense should be even better this year, is a very good thing.
Spring Training will be interesting. We have 11 or so relievers, all trying for 8 spots. Hoffman, Garcia, Rogers, Varland, Little, Fisher, and Fluharty all, at least in my mind, are very likely to make the team. If Lauer is pitching out of the pen, that would be 8 spots. But then injuries tend to happen in spring training.
And then there is Miles, Lee, and Bastardo.
Steamer thinks he’ll pitch in 58 games with a 3.80 ERA
Cristiano Ronaldo was absent as Al Nassr advanced to the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League Two on Wednesday with a 1-0 win over Arkadag FC of Turkmenistan that secured a 2-0 aggregate victory.
The 41-year-old Ronaldo, who returned last Saturday after missing three straight games amid reports of discontent with the club’s management, watched from the stands.
According to domestic media, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has yet to win a major trophy since signing with the Riyadh club in December 2022, is being rested for Saudi Pro League games and the latter stages of the AFC Champions League.
Al Nassr will face Al Wasl of the United Arab Emirates in the first leg of the quarterfinals of Asia’s second-tier competition on March 3.
In the top-tier AFC Champions League Elite, Japan and South Korea sent three and two teams respectively to the round of 16 in the eastern zone. The top eight from each of the two 12-team groups go to the next stage.
Johor Darul Tazim of Malaysia and Buriram United of Thailand also progressed, while Melbourne City became just the second Australian team to reach the round of 16 since 2016.
In the western zone, big-spending Saudi Arabian clubs dominated with Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad all finishing in the top four. Tractor of Iran placed third, while Qatar’s Al Duhail and Al Sadd advanced along with Al Wahda.
The first legs in the round of 16 are set for March 2 and 3.
The buzz has begun for the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic, which is scheduled to start March 5 and end March 17 in Miami.
The tournament features stacked rosters and international bragging rights. One MLB superstar believes his country, the Dominican Republic, is going to win it all, and he has some words for reigning champion Team Japan.
Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. will make his debut in the WBC when he steps on the diamond alongside his father, Fernando Tatis Sr., in a couple weeks.
San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) gets ready to hit during spring training camp. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tatis Sr. serves as the team’s hitting coach under manager Albert Pujols. During his first conversation with reporters Tuesday, Tatis Jr. spoke about his dream of playing for his country in the WBC — where he joins Juan Soto, Manny Machado and a constellation of other Caribbean stars in a bid for global glory.
“It’s definitely what you dream about as a kid. I’ve always wanted to do it. This came at the right time. I’m really happy it’s going to happen. It’s going to be a beautiful experience.”
When asked about facing Japan’s powerhouse team — laced with Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and his Padres teammate Yuki Matsui — he didn’t flinch:
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If confidence were a currency, the Dominican Republic might just be the richest team in the Classic. With history beckoning and legacy on the line, Tatis Jr. isn’t just playing for a flag — he’s playing to immortalize a father-son chapter in baseball lore. It’s Dominican baseball with a pulse, a heritage-heavy heartbeat that could very well carry them all the way to glory.
Shohei Ohtani (R) #16 of Team Japan is awarded the trophy by the Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred (L) after defeating Team USA in the World Baseball Classic Championship. Getty Images
‘There’s a lot of great competition, but I’m looking forward to facing that competition and coming out on top.”
The qualifiers for the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup were finalised on Wednesday when Pakistan routed Namibia by 102 runs in Colombo to take the final berth.
FISH CAMP, CA — The National Hockey League sent its players to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014, and the risk seemed varied. For teams and individual players, it presents an opportunity to represent your country and play at a very high level against elite competition. On the flip side, it also means a nice, cut block, two-week-plus break from the grind of the regular season. For the Los Angeles Kings and Kevin Fiala, it spiraled into a worst-case scenario situation.
An injury that put things into perspective.
A hit from Tom Wilson, and the season is officially over for Fiala. That is woeful timing for a team that just made its most significant in-season trade since its championship glory days. The Kings' third-leading scorer (second before the Artemi Panarin deal) hasn't been ruled out for the playoffs, but is shut down for the critical stretch run to qualify for the playoffs. Ironically, the NHL's first involvement in the Olympics since 2014 coincides with the last playoff round the Kings won.
See, since 2014, the organization has won 9 playoff games across 5 appearances. That's right around winning less than two games per playoff appearance. With a Stanley Cup-winning core nearing a single thread in the pending retirement of Anze Kopitar, the team's actual cup contention is trending towards delusion and refinement of previous rhetoric.
Panarin is a big deal, and I do say that with gusto. The loss of Fiala doesn't necessarily bring the Kings back to square one, as Panarin certainly ranks among the top 5-10 wingers in the league, but it does feel like three steps forward, two steps back.
Panarin, even with Fiala healthy in the lineup, wasn't going to elevate this marginal team to the heights of contender legitimacy. The Kings, even before the trade in the aftermath of the Phillip Danault departure, had been involved in numerous discussions about acquiring a center to bolster this lineup, despite a backend that hampers this team. Their defensive core slows their transition game and strains the entire forward group through increased defensive labor due to a lack of overall outlet ability/footspeed in their own zone.
The team is stuck with that; they have to eat this situation on the backend, as fixing it would likely require serious retention and assets going back, which they are already thinning out. That being said, a center is still needed.
That raises questions about their heir apparent, but Quinton Byfield is not out of the equation just yet, as I've covered before. He's undoubtedly under the spotlight now with a legitimate star winger that should be attached to his flank. It's now or never for the young forward, who is getting a better winger than Kopitar ever had, albeit in decline. There is the struggling Byfield, and then there's a massive drop-off in the ability to drive play and handle top six matchups in the stark decline of Kopitar.
Samuel Helenius and Alex Turcotte aren't elevating this team to contention status. The reinforcements from Ontario are more detrimental than helpful. It has to be external.
The hockey world has been brimming with rumors of a potential trade that involves Vancouver's eleven-million-dollar centerman, Elias Pettersson. There's also a growing desire for Robert Thomas from St. Louis. Other names that have been tossed around are centers like Charlie Coyle and Nazem Kadri. The Kings are likely to look at all available options, even though most NHL teams are competitive this season, save for a few souring teams. There's no 2024 White Sox team in the NHL.
Re: Pettersson and Kadri—No movement clauses and modified trade lists come into play, so hoping for a Panarin-type situation asks that lightning strike twice. Panarin held all the cards in his deal, essentially handcuffing Chris Drury to a maddening effect for Ranger fans. Furthermore, I have a hard time putting stock in tagging the Kings to Pettersson solely because of his wife's long-time connection in Los Angeles. I also have a heck of a time thinking a player of this caliber gets swapped in a divisional trade.
That goes for Kadri, too, as the Flames won't be so inclined to do in-division deals, and Kadri has a modified no-movement clause. The aging veteran doesn't exactly thread the needle when considering the seasons in the wake of Kopitar's retirement (Kadri's contract runs through 2028-29). In one season, the team trades away Greentree, then gives up a first-round pick and more for a 35-year-old center with term? That doesn't bode well for the club.
Interestingly, Thomas has a no-trade clause and is locked up with the Blues until 2029-30, with an AAV of 8.125 million. That's gem-worthy on price; he's 26, a righty with 1C capacity. Thomas does sit in that rarified category with Pettersson, but would be extremely pricey if the player were to waive his clause. Should Thomas waive, and unless he demands a trade in the near future, St. Louis can wait out bidders with aplomb, picking apart what would likely be 15+ suitors. Doug Armstrong and Alexander Steen can deal with bids into next season if need be.
Unless there is some wizardry from Ken Holland, I don't see him dipping into the honey pot twice with New York to chase Vincent Trocheck. As mentioned, the Rangers got worked by Panarin's NMC. Trocheck has a 12-team no-trade clause.
There are those clauses again, and the three highest upside names at center (Pettersson, Thomas, Trocheck) all have some clause. Kadri has a clause too.
On the lower end, there's Coyle, who plays for a competitive Columbus team in a similar situation to the Kings (four points out of the Eastern Conference wildcard playoff spot). These situational trades between aspiring playoff teams typically mean assets leaving matches, with the return, if only marginally better, from each team's perspective. Columbus, like the Kings, is looking to upgrade now.
That leaves a more realistic vision for the Kings' trade strategy, but much less on the table regarding the higher-tiered ceiling in the return.
Untested goalie prospects, draft picks, and marginal middle-six pivot prospects to bargain with? Their legitimate blue-chip prospect pantry took a practical knockout blow in the deal to acquire Panarin without shedding a roster player: Liam Greentree. That asset pool has gone from bleak to barren. Solely relying on their plethora of picks might get a conversation with St. Louis or Vancouver going, or entice a fall-from-grace team such as New Jersey or Winnipeg, but it doesn't close the deal.
There is also the absurdity that Byfield would have to go the other way. Swapping him out for another center, even a much better one like Thomas or Pettersson (on the rare, off chance it happens), doesn't fix the center depth weakness. That feeds into a retool, not a rebuild.
Bottom line, moving Byfield for a center is nonsensical for LA, unless the center is a clear cut upgrade in every way. Kings need a center to add to Byfield, not one to replace him.
There just aren't proper assets to get something substantial in return for the Kings in the wake of the Panarin deal. There aren't a plethora of clear-cut sellers as suitors in the league right now, forcing a perilous waiting game towards the trade deadline. It makes me believe the team needs to retain Warren Foegele, despite a back-down-to-Earth-level of production this season.
Ears are certainly ringing if Foegele, a first-round pick and more, is the mock trade out there for the player who could actually redefine the team's current trajectory down the middle. Those extremely limited players (Pettersson or Thomas) who can actually put the Kings' categorization up a level or two are leaning towards the 'pipe dream'/'fleece' trade categorization. This isn't an Xbox game.
Holland has stated he has no interest in a rebuild. This suggests the Kings are putting all their chips in, especially given Kopitar's final season.
The situation, however, is getting derailed and exposed by an ill-timed injury. Even before that, Holland was working with peanuts to make lemonade, as the former GM, Rob Blake, hamstrung the team across many areas. For Holland, credit where credit is due: the Panarin move was a stroke of beauty, given the assets sent over for the player, largely influenced by Panarin himself. But has Holland played his full hand?
An overpay for a center not expected, or one expected, is assumed to be looming. However, many doors must open for the right moves to be unlocked, leading to better short and long-term outcomes for the club. Landing a player who has to waive some form of trade clause twice in one season seems like a pretense for a not-so-well-thought-out plan. The reality is that the season was always going to be a stretch, and the organization might have just pulled a muscle.
Waiting and hoping for a game-breaking 1C or high-end 2C to be available in free agency is foolhardy roster planning, given their last five years of franchise navigation. It directly ties into the notion of rebuilding this team. That long-term rebuild Holland is publicly deferring away from the organization will resurface in the offseason in a bad way should the Kings falter, yet again.
Houston Rockets All-Star forward Kevin Durant deflected questions about a possible social media burner account, though he did not deny the legitimacy of any claims.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Feb. 18 following a practice, Durant was asked about speculation that an account on X, formerly known as Twitter, might belong to Durant. The account handle, @gethigher77, was created in August 2021 and has just 75 followers and is following 75 other users. The account recently went private.
Over the All-Star break, screenshots emerged that showed the account openly criticizing current and former teammates of Durant.
“I know you’ve got to ask these questions, but I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense,” Durant said. “I’m just here to focus on the season, keep it pushing, but I get why you have to ask those questions.”
When pressed further and asked whether he had addressed the matter with his Rockets teammates, Durant once again deflected.
“My teammates know what it is,” he said. “We’ve been locked in the whole season. We enjoyed our break. We had a great practice today, and we look forward to the road trip.”
The Rockets, who are 33-20 and in a tight race near the top of the Western Conference, are set to go on a two-game trip to Charlotte and New York.
The screenshots from the @gethigher77 account led to speculation over the weekend that the tone and speech patterns were similar to messages Durant has used in the past from his verified accounts.
The images show direct messages sent from the account that seemingly disparage Rockets All-Star center Alperen Şengün and forward Jabari Smith Jr. Those direct messages are in the first person and imply that the Rockets are “this (expletive) ass team.” The messages also use offensive epithets.
“Your franchise player can’t shoot or defend,” one message reads, seemingly alluding to Şengün. “That's a wayyyyyyy bigger issue than my turnovers. Remember, these guys are your future.”
“I can’t trust Jabari to make a (expletive) shot or get a stop,” another message reads, before calling Smith a common epithet against people with a learning disability.
It’s important to stress that there has been no direct evidence tying Durant to the account and that the supposed link is, at this point, merely internet speculation.
“I wasn’t used to that amount of attention from playing basketball,” Durant said then. “I wanted a place where I could talk to my friends without anybody butting in on my conversations or mixing my words or taking everything out of context because I enjoyed that place.”
Previously, in 2017, Durant was seemingly caught using a burner account when a fan addressed his official account and Durant responded by speaking in the third person.
Then, in July 2023, after the launch of Threads, Durant posted a message to Twitter, saying: “On threads with the burner. Come find me.”
During a press conference Saturday, Feb. 14 at All-Star media day, Durant was asked if he was forced to give up X or video games for the rest of his life, which one he would choose.
“Damn,” Durant said then. “I’m going to go Twitter. I’m going to go Twitter, because they don’t deserve to hear this God-level talk I’m giving to them. They take it for granted, cuz.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 11: James Harden #1 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers warm up prior to a game against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena on February 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden made headlines after his home debut by saying loyalty is overrated after joining his fourth different franchise since 2022.
“It’s basketball, the whole quote on quote loyalty thing is, I think it’s overrated,” Harden said last week.
“I think this is a business at the end of the day, and it’s a lot of money involved and a lot of decisions that have to be made. If a player isn’t producing, or if you don’t see him in your future, you know, if the front office, some of them have to do a job and want to keep their job. So they feel like they got to do what’s best keep their job, and they trade players.”
Donovan Mitchell was asked about those comments after practice on Wednesday and agreed with Harden. Loyalty in sports isn’t what it ideally should be, but many factors go into why it isn’t.
“I think as a sports fan, and as a diehard Mets fan, would I love for Jacob deGrom to still be here? Yeah,” Mitchell said. “You know, certain situations, it’s not always going [to work out]. It’s not always like that. For him to be honest with you guys and give that answer, I respect that. This is a business.”
And there are competiting interest at play, even internally.
“You can’t blame a guy for wanting to maximize his opportunity, maximize his life-changing money for his family,” Mitchell said. “On the flip side, it’s that weird side in sports where it’s like, this is a business, but there’s also the concept of, ‘Hey, I want to be here forever.’ There’s always that with every athlete.”
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Mitchell has seen how this dynamic works, even if he personally hasn’t changed teams as much as Harden has.
There were reports that Mitchell was open to being traded from the Utah Jazz back in 2022. It was also clear that this was something that the Jazz felt was in their best interest after they weren’t able to advance out of the second round with their team built around Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
“This season wasn’t very much fun this year,” Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said a few months before the team traded Mitchell. “This draft wasn’t fun. Free agency wasn’t very much fun. You’re over the tax, no draft picks, and our team loses in the first round. It wasn’t fun for us. We want it to be fun for our fans and our players, but we just haven’t had much flexibility to do anything over the last little while.”
Whether or not this was ultimately the right move for Utah is up for debate. What isn’t, is the fact that they felt that their core wasn’t good enough to win, and it was time to move on.
In many instances, it’s in the team’s and the player’s best interest to open up a new chapter. And in the NBA, things can change quickly, as Darius Garland found out.
“You look at my situation in Utah,” Mitchell said, “you go from being the one seed and the next thing you know (he snaps), it’s like that. It just happens. With DG, it was the same thing. The Jimmy Butler situation, the Dame [Lillard] situation, there’s other situations. It’s so fragile. Everything is so fragile. One day could be great, the next day (snaps again) can be like that.”
Some of Harden’s exits have been messy and seemingly not as mutually beneficial as you’d ideally like. That’s part of Harden’s complicated legacy and the business of sports.
“I don’t know his exact experience,” Mitchell said. “All I know, is pretty much what you guys know. But I do know there’s certain things that can kind of skew that. … Not just speaking of him, but as a whole in sports.
“So I really respect the fact that he was honest. I think a lot of guys relate to that. I think it also gives fans a unique insight on like, hey, there’s so much love here for sure, but there’s also things that can get in the way.”
PHOENIX — Brusdar Graterol’s return to the mound will have to wait a little longer.
After missing all of last season recovering from a shoulder surgery, the hard-throwing Dodgers reliever is not expected to be ready for Opening Day this year, manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday.
Though Graterol came into spring training hopeful of returning for the start of the new season, Roberts said the right-hander will be on a slower progression as he ramps up in the coming weeks, after he struggled to dial up his velocity in some early throwing session in camp.
Los Angeles Dodger Pitcher Nick Frasso (79) walks with pitcher Brusdar Graterol (48) during Los Angeles Dodger workouts at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
“With Brusdar, he’s shown that we can count on him when he’s needed in the biggest of spots,” Roberts said. “We just got to get him back up to that velocity. It’s an intentionally slow build-up.”
Graterol — who has a 2.78 career ERA — becomes the Dodgers’ latest right-handed reliever expected to be sidelined at the beginning of the year.
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Brock Stewart is still working his way back from a shoulder surgery he underwent in September. Evan Phillips isn’t expected back until midseason as he completes his recovery from last year’s Tommy John surgery.
Their absences could create opportunities for younger right-handers including Will Klein and Edgardo Henriquez, who are trying to parlay their success in last year’s playoffs into more permanent roles in the team’s big-league bullpen.
LeBron James said, "We've gotten past the marathon and the sprint is about to start."
We're not sprinting yet. To keep with LeBron's marathon analogy, there's about 8.5 miles left in the race of the NBA season — still a ways to go, right about when people start running into the wall, but the end (and that sprint) is in sight.
What are the five biggest things to watch, the five biggest story lines as we get ready for that sprint to the end of the season? Let's break it down.
Tanking
When Adam Silver was first asked about tanking during his All-Star Saturday press conference, he proceeded to give a four-and-a-half-minute, circular, almost rambling statement that boiled down to this: He doesn't think it is what fans want, he understands why the analytics tell teams to tank (and some fans root for their team to lose, "the worst place to be, for example, is to be a middle-of-the-road team"), and that the league is looking at things it can do to limit tanking in the future.
Then Silver got to the real issue: This year is a perfect storm that makes things worse. This year's draft is considered particularly deep, with at least three potential franchise cornerstone players at the top (and potential All-Stars through the top eight or nine), and the next couple of drafts are seen as down years. Teams are focused on tanking this season because the rewards are higher.
The reality is that there is only so much the league can do — in basketball, landing one elite player changes a franchise. Despite what seemingly every other Reddit NBA post says, there are no easy answers here, every "solution" creates a different problem. It comes down to this: Landing Cooper Flagg or Cade Cunningham or Anthony Edwards or Victor Wembanyama can turn a franchise around, so it is worth the risk (and some fines) to improve draft positioning.
Just ask Mark Cuban.
Why the NBA should embrace tanking -
The NBA has kate been misguided thinking that fans want to see their teams compete every night with a chance to win. It’s never been that way that way.
When I got into the nba, they thought they were in the basketball business. They…
Nine teams are more focused on maximizing their draft odds and landing one of those top players than winning games the rest of this season (Milwaukee would have made 10, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is coming back and looking to win games). That's 30% of the league. To be clear, the players on the court will play hard and try to win, this is a front office call. Meaning the higher-level players who can help those teams win games will see limited court time. If any.
It's going to lead to some ugly games the rest of the season, either blowouts when a team that cares faces these squads, or fans will be paying NBA prices to witness essentially a G League game when these tanking teams meet. It's only going to get worse in the coming weeks.
Silver will fine more teams, the league will institute some new rules in the offseason, but it will ultimately change little. As Silver said, the "incentives are misaligned" because getting one elite player changes everything, and the risk is worth it.
James Harden in Cleveland
Cleveland got better at the trade deadline, bringing in James Harden. The question is how much better?
How about No. 2 seed in the East better? Maybe NBA Finals better.
Cleveland sits as the No. 4 seed in the East, just 1.5 games back of No. 2 Boston, and the Cavaliers have the fifth-easiest remaining schedule in the league (and noticeably easier than any team above them), according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Yahoo Sports' Tom Haberstroh did the math and said that 13 of the Cavaliers remaining 28 games are against tanking teams (only the Warriors and Magic have more).
Harden brings a lot of positives to Cleveland. He is a pick-and-roll master, and that has helped Jarrett Allen — a proven pick-and-roll big — thrive since the trade. Plus, late in games, it has opened up opportunities for Donovan Mitchell. Rather than Mitchell having to create against a set defense, Harden can initiate the offense, get the defense in rotation, then swing it to Mitchell to finish the play (not unlike what Darius Garland could do when healthy last season for Cleveland). Plus — and this is an odd thing to say — Harden could be better for the Cavaliers' defense. Opponents targeted the 6'1" Garland, forcing switches into mismatches; Harden is no elite defender, but he's 6'5", has great hands, and is stout and can't be backed down easily.
Will Harden on the Cavaliers work in the playoffs, especially the second round and beyond? That's the big question. Considering his track record of duds, not to mention Cleveland's history, there's still a lot to prove. That said, Harden running a lot of pick-and-roll against the Knicks defense seems like bad news for New York. One team the Cavs may not match up well against is in Boston, which brings us to…
Jayson Tatum’s return
Is Boston the best team in the East?
The Celtics already sit as the No. 2 seed in the conference, with a top-10 offense and defense, and now it looks like their best player — Jayson Tatum — will return before the playoffs.
Tatum's return from a torn Achilles suffered last playoffs is not set in stone, but Boston is acting as if they expect his return — it is not trading away the wing scoring of Anfernee Simons to add big man Nikola Vucevic if they don't expect Tatum on the wing for a playoff run.
There are questions in Boston. Can Tatum slot into the role Jaylen Brown played for this team? These Celtics don't need vintage, MVP-ballot Tatum because they have MVP-ballot play from Brown this season, plus Derrick White has stepped up. What Boston needs is Tatum to be the No. 2 option and threat that keeps the defense honest and opens up driving and passing lanes. Just 85% of Tatum is a huge help for this team.
Still, in an open Eastern Conference, this Celtics team with Tatum (and now Vucevic) may be the best of the group.
Denver’s health
One thing that has come out of the first 55 games of the season: Oklahoma City is not inevitable. They are the best team in the NBA, especially when healthy, but they are not unbeatable.
Denver is the team best positioned to knock OKC off… if healthy.
The Nuggets have the size, the scoring, the defense to challenge the Thunder — it was a seven-game series a year ago against OKC, and the Nuggets didn't have Johnson or this Peyton Watson, but they were playing Russell Westbrook in all seven games.
This year's Denver is improved and a legit title contender, but has been hit hard by injuries: Nikola Jokic has missed 14 games, Cameron Johnson 24, Aaron Gordon 32 (and counting, he remains out with a hamstring issue), and Christian Braun 36. The Denver core of Jokic/Murray/Gordon have played just 229 minutes together all season (with a +23.5 net rating in those minutes). The ideal starting five — Murray, Braun, Johnson, Gordon, Jokic — have played in 10 games together.
Through all that, the Nuggets are still the No. 3 seed in the West and have the best offense in the league. Get healthy, get their defense playing better, and this team is a legit title threat. It's just a question of getting right before the postseason.
Are we sleeping on the Pistons?
Already in this list, we have said to keep an eye on how much better James Harden makes the Cleveland Cavaliers, or how, with Jayson Tatum back in the fold, the Boston Celtics could be the best team in the East.
What about the team that is on top of the East in the standings, the Detroit Pistons? Are we sleeping on them?
Detroit has the elite star in Cade Cunningham, the team has an identity, and it meets the classic definition of a contender with a top-10 offense and defense in the league (and it is second in the league in net rating).
Yet ask around at the All-Star break, and it's almost likely the Pistons are in the second tier. The concerns are on the offensive end: This is a team that scores a lot of points in the paint (56.8 per game), and they are third in the league in offense started in transition (17.3% of their possessions), but those points are harder to come by in the playoffs as the games slow down. Teams will pack the paint against Detroit and dare it to shoot over the top — Detroit takes the third-lowest percentage of shots from 3 in the league, and it is in the bottom 10 in the league in shooting percentage from deep (34.9%). The Pistons could simply lose the math game some nights in the playoffs.
Also, when teams load up on Cade Cunningham in the playoffs, who is the secondary shot creator?
Still, Detroit has an elite defense and a clear identity. This is a very good team, and in this Eastern Conference, count them out at your own risk.
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